Armadilly Chili

Plot Summary

A blue norther's a-blowing', and Miss Billie Armadilly is hankering to make a pot of chili! Only she needs to fix it all by herself because Tex the tarantula, Mackie the bluebird, and Taffy the horned toad are too busy to lend a hand. Well, she'll eat it all by herself, too! But then the smell of chili cooking in the cold night brings her friends one by one back to Miss Billie's door. What's a lady armadillo to do?

Awards

2005 Texas Library Association's 2 x 2 Reading List; 2005 Winner, Storytelling World Award; 2005-2006 North Carolina Children's Book Award Master List; 2007 Arizona Young Reader Award Picture Book Master List; Children's Books Top Picks, Southwest Books of the Year 2004

Reviews

"Terry debuts with big Southwestern scenes, laid out in swirls and curls of rich color, through which his characters, decked out in western wear (that's a Stetson and four pairs of boots for Tex), saunter stylishly until gathering at Billie's hacienda to chatter the chilly night away. Despite the lack of a recipe—with or without beetles—here's a tale guaranteed to warm the bones on a cold night." Kirkus Reviews

"Terry's vibrant cartoon artwork adds personality to Billie and her large-eyed companions. Done in jewel tones, the scenes depict the warmth of the desert landscape as well as that of the creatures' friendship. The rhythmic text reads aloud well and the dialogue has a western flavor." School Library Journal

"Ketteman flavors the tale and message with plenty of pizzazz. Terry uses hot, intensely saturated, southwestern colors to spice the comedy, and embellishes each critter's characteristics (with) clever details, such as Tex's bolo tie. A sure-fire hit for the lap-sit crowd." Booklist

"The bold illustrations, bright colors, and larger than life characters evoke the feeling of the Texas desert. Armadilly Chili is a great read-aloud and could be used as a springboard for students to create their own version of The Little Red Hen. Highly Recommended."
Library Media Connection

Associated Keywords
texas, southwest, little red hen, sharing, kindness, armadillo, armadillos, tale, folktale